


i think YOU fucked it up

by roswhelp



Category: HLVRAI- FANDOM, Half Life VR But The AI Is Self-Aware
Genre: I just enjoy the grandpas. nothing more nothing less., M/M, Suuuuper weird but I just wanted to write something today, This is like. Pre-Pre-Pre relationship but it's there., meet cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:29:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25022425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roswhelp/pseuds/roswhelp
Summary: An idea of how Dr. Coomer and Bubby met! Coomer drinks his "respecting people even if my employer implies they aren't entirely human" juice and Bubby can't process that. Also Dr. Coomer drinks his tube juice.
Relationships: Bubby/Dr. Coomer (Half-Life)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 152





	i think YOU fucked it up

There’s something unique about a man who can punch the frame off of a military-grade cloning tube on accident, Bubby thought. The man in question, clearly another scientist, was trying to get access to the intercom system within the tube when he hit the side in frustration. The sudden destruction of the metal lining created a break in the liquid sealant, creating a steady flow of science goo™ out of the container and onto the floor. The man outside the tank was clearly unalarmed by this, as he calmly walked over to the emergency supplies to grab the repair materials needed. 

“Well. Fuck.” Bubby cursed. Now, with the otherwise relatively sound-proof barrier of the liquid starting to drain, he could finally be heard by the scientist outside of the tank. 

At the sound of his voice, the scientist looked up. He looked to be about Bubby’s “human scaled” age, with shoulder length brown hair with streaks of grey through it. His smile lines were unusually defined for someone his age, and his moustache only helped draw attention to his grin. 

“Don’t worry, fixing this will take just a moment!” He sounded extremely chipper for someone mishandling confidential government property in ways not even OSHA could have predicted. “Hm. Would you be willing to help me keep the area I need to apply the new “Tube Sealant” to dry and clean?” He asked, cocking his head at Bubby. 

“Wha- no! You’re the one that fucked all of this up!” He replied angrily. “It’s your mess, you fix it!”

“Well, that is a fair point, but I’m afraid that you could be in danger if you don’t. As far as this chart reads, you’re still in a development process and need this fluid!” The scientist answered him with what seemed to be an honestly apologetic look. “I admit my own fault, but I don’t wish to put you in harm's way.” 

Bubby became more and more confused with this man outside the tube. First he attempts to communicate with him (poorly), then he breaks his tube, and now he wants to help him? What were his plans, exactly? Even with all of this, the more pressing matter of his own safety began to dawn on him. The line of remaining liquid came lower and lower, and Bubby began to feel himself settle towards the bottom of the tank.

“Hm. Fine. What should I do, exactly?” He reluctantly deferred to the man outside the tank, who began to smile again. Why was that what Bubby noticed about him?

“Firstly, I will attempt to clog the spill from my side!” The crack in the seal was long and thin, as it had broken vertically to the removed frame. The man stood still for a moment, trying to find something to stop the flow of more liquid before jumping up with realization. He quickly shed his lab coat, pushing the thin seam through the hole before balling up the rest outside the tank, effectively stopping the leak. “Now if you could do me a favor and pull more of my coat through, that could have a stronger hold on both sides of the crack!” He spoke again, gesturing to Bubby. He quickly complied, bringing about half of the fabric through to his side. 

“Excellent work! Now, here’s the tricky part. I need to apply the wet seal to a dry surface, so the timing will matter quite a bit. I need you to pull the coat through more as the sealant begins to dry with a heat tool, without letting the fabric get caught! Otherwise it won’t have structural integrity.” He explained. Bubby nodded in response, kneeling closer to the scientist's eye level. 

“Ready?” He asked, Bubby’s eyes meeting his.

“Obviously. Let’s go already!” The scientist shook his head with a well-mannered grin before focusing. 

“Alright then.” He rolled up his sleeves, holding the sealing gel in one hand and the UV tool in the other. “Start pulling… now.” The hem of the lab coat was still sticking out slightly when the scientist began to apply the paste, but Bubby adjusted his efforts in time to avoid getting any on the fabric. The two steadily watched each other work, reliant on the actions of the other. Eventually, just as the last of the sealant was applied, Bubby pulled the seam completely to his side of the tube. The scientist was quick to apply the UV light to the area, and Bubby backed away.

“Mmmmph dmnbbb bmmmmp, mrrrm pmmmmrmf!” The scientist’s speech was muffled from outside the tube, as he forgot the original intent of his interaction. Bubby shook his head before pointing to the intercoms panel, his gaze sharp. The scientist looked confused, then bashful as he realized his mistake. He walked up to the board and gingerly pressed the “input” button.

“Apologies, there! I’m not usually stationed in the biological research section, so any understanding of the technology here tends to elude me.” He stood sheepishly. “What I was trying to say was, that was brilliant work! I’m very sorry for putting you in that situation, but I do believe you handled it quite well!” 

“You’re goddamn right I did. What were you even trying to do in the first place?” Bubby replied, venom in his tone. 

“Well, I had heard about the work being done down here and wanted a better understanding of it, yourself included!” He answered, upbeat as ever. “You’re the latest attempt at the “ultimate lifeform”, yes?”

“... Yes. But why are you talking to me about it?” Bubby asked. “Everyone who wants to learn about the project can just talk to one of the scientists who created me.”

“Well, yes, but they aren’t you!” The scientist said. “I figured no one else would know better about yourself, yes?”   
This answer shocked Bubby. For all their faith in him as a being of great intelligence and strength, the scientists who built him never seemed to trust that he was capable of sharing his own condition without outside testing, poking and prodding him for data. 

“Who… are you?” Bubby looked down at the relatively short man, made even shorter by his suspension in the fluid. 

“My name is Doctor Harold Coomer! And you are?” 

“Doctor Bubby.” Bubby’s eyes drifted to the spilled science goo™ to Coomer’s side. “How exactly do you plan to explain that to my creators?” 

“Well, no need to explain if there’s no evidence left!” The doctor reached for his lab coat in an effort to soak it up, but realized it was still in the tube with Bubby. 

“Oh. I… don’t know how to get this back to you.” Bubby held out the coat in confusion, but Coomer just shook his head. 

“Oh, just keep it! You are a professor after all, you deserve to be dressed like one.” He answered.

“Doctor.” Bubby spoke curtly.

“Well, either way, I think it’ll suit you.” Coomer reached into his pocket, pulling out his Black Mesa patented silly straw. “For now, I suppose I need to dispose of evidence of my own follies!” What followed were the most disgusting slurping sounds Bubby had ever heard. 

Doctor Coomer was an extremely unique man.


End file.
